In April 2007, I received a call from the First Sergeant of my US Army Military Police Company. He informed me that our unit had been alerted for possible deployment. At this time all able-bodied soldiers were being activated to go to Iraq for a surge in troops.
At first I was uneasy about the prospect. I had a wife and three young children who needed me, and I had recently been informed that my temporary schoolteaching job would most likely lead to a permanent position. I told my wife about the possible deployment and prayed to be receptive to God’s direction and my purpose in this situation. It became clear that I should go. Our unit would be tasked with training the Iraqi police forces in the area of Tikrit.
As the weeks went by there were many things I had to do to prepare. This time was very stressful; however, I kept my thoughts on God. I realized that each step would be guided by God’s loving and powerful ever-presence. As I read my Christian Science Bible Lesson each day, with passages from the Bible and Science and Health with Key to the Scriptures by Mary Baker Eddy, I prayed for my safety and that the soldiers in my unit would be safe and protected as well.
